It was quite a Thanksgiving Day this year. We went to a neighbor’s house for a Thanksgiving feast that did not disappoint in many ways–great company, great food, and great outcomes. Spending Thanksgiving with 20 family members and friends was just about right. Just enough people to get that homey feeling of a large family gathering but not so many guests as to make you feel overwhelmed.

The food was fantastic! Starting off the pregame feast, the spicy jumbo grilled shrimp were outstanding; each bite was succulent and tangy. Other appetizers included smoked salmon, salmon ceviche, mini pigs (piglets?) in a blanket, and cheese and crackers. I could hardly eat anymore after indulging in the delicious starters, but I found the will to tackle the main courses.

In addition to the standard roast turkey and mashed potatoes, we enjoyed honey ham, salad, green beans with black beans, and sweet potato fries. We then waited until halftime of the Seahawks game when we kicked off desert with homemade apple pie with ice cream, apple crisp, white chocolate grapefruit pie, and raspberry covered chocolate cake. I should have punted after the apple pie but I just couldn’t resist and take a knee. I ended up eating three deserts. I should have been flagged and penalized a 10 mile run right then and there but it was not called because all the refs were pigging out too!

Of course, it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving day without football. The special treat this year for Seattle fans was the Seahawks – 49ers game, the last game of the triple header. The 12th Man in Seattle was very anxious before the game since we need that the loser would probably be knocked out of playoff contention. I was hoping that the Seahawks would figure out a way to kick a field goal to win it at the last minute in a tight, low scoring battle. Most of the football pundits also thought it would be a close game but most of them were betting on the 49ers to win at home. Little did they know…

What a game it was (especially on a 80 inch TV)! The Seahawks totally dominated the 49ers defensively holding San Francisco to 164 total yards of offense. It wasn’t close. Yes, Seattle could have been more productive in the red zone but they only needed one touchdown to win this game. The 12th Man hasn’t been as optimistic about the Seahawks making the playoffs since the first game of the season against the Packers. With games against the Eagles, 49ers, Cardinals and Rams remaining, the road to a playoff spot is still riddled with powerful land mines, but I can see the faint light at the end of the tunnel and it looks bright.

The Washington State Ferry system, the largest ferry system in the United States, is one of my top 10 things-to-do for visitors. The routes to the San Juan Islands are perhaps the most scenic passages served by any public transportation in the world.

Chicken strips and fries on Washington state ferry

On a recent sailing to the San Juan Islands, my family decided to sample the cuisine on the ferry. Most of the food on the ship’s cafe was the usual fare you’d expect to see and none of it looked very appetizing. So we chose items that seemed be innocuous enough. We were wrong! I had the hot dog and my kids had the chicken strips with fries. The hot dog tasted nothing like a hot dog should. I couldn’t tell what the meat was! The chicken tasted dry and bland and had the texture of rubber. Even the fries were cold and tasteless.

If you plan on taking the ferry, just make sure you bring along some food or eat before hand because the food may just dampen your appetite and spoil the excellent views.